Digital Citizenship: Digital Communication and Digital Literacy

The two aspects of Digital Citizenship that I'd like to highlight are Digital Communication and Digital Literacy.

I chose Digital Communication because I believe that there is a lot more that my agency could do, internally, to enable everyone's work to be more efficient.  About 80% of our employees are technologically savvy and are frustrated by the lack of technology usage, access, and importance within the agency.  For example, we have an interactive smart board that would be perfect for staff meetings, but instead we meet and interact in a basic room and utilize chart paper.  Inter office instant messaging would greatly cut down on the amount of interoffice emails and email upkeep. Video conferencing would allow us to save time (less travel) and expenses (less travel reimbursement and staff time out).  We also need online sharing spaces that may be accessed by anyone's home technology.  As it stands, only those w/o an apple are able to access our shared drive.  Many staff have Ipads/iphones and they are unable to access the drives.  The solution is a change in priorities.  We need to make technology a priority, in terms of the budget.  This will be done by training those less tech savvy to understand the benefits of said technologies in the way of efficiencies, staff time/work load, and the money saving piece.

I also chose Digital Literacy for Adult Learners.  In January of 2014 the GED test will be fully computerized and no longer offered via pencil/paper.  In addition, the KeyTrain Curriculum is an online curriculum preparing adults for the Work Key's Assessment and thus a National Career Readiness Certificate.  Many of the Adults that we serve for Adult Basic Education programming/reading and writing tutoring or ELL do not have have access to technology other than via local libraries and do have have the basic computer skills necessary to navigate the KeyTrain online learning environment even if the instruction is offered w/in it at his/her educational functioning level for reading comprehension and listening comprehension in English.  This means that we need to first have access to technology in order to use technology with our adult learners, but we also need to provide technology instruction to adults, so that they are able to learn in a digital society.  This is not yet fully occurring, but we have plans in place for technology inclusion.  Unfortunately, they are based on whether or not grant funding comes through.  My hope is that we will obtain a mobile computer lab to use with adult learners and their tutors in the near future.  I also hope that we are able to obtain the funding necessary to provide basic computer skill's training and Key Train open computer labs.

TLA: Systemic Improvement Assignment: CMS/LMS

The Literacy Center of West Michigan does not receive its funding through the Department of Education.  We receive Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Funding through the Workforce Development Agency (WDA) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).  We, as Adult Educators, are not required to adhere to FERPA.  That being said, we do have an internal confidentiality policy and do not share adult learner educational gains and/or other educational information with other agencies, caseworkers, family members, etc. without an adult learner's consent via a signed release form.  The same goes for the Michigan Online Learning Requirement for k-12 students.  We are asked, within our state and federal grants, how we incorporate technology into adult learning.  We fulfill this requirement in a variety of ways within each Literacy Center program. 

The Literacy Center's Customized Workplace English program does utilize a Course Management System.  They utilize Moodle to enhance their class instruction of language learners within area companies.  Within Moodle learners post videos and presentations, record speaking/reading fluency samples, the instructor reads aloud assignments, the class syllabus is listed, homework and deadlines are listed, etc.  Moodle provides an avenue for learners to make up missed instruction time or to increase their instruction hours.  The Customized Workplace English program has enjoyed utilizing Moodle as an instruction tool.  Learners have been motivated by the online environment.  According to the Customized Workplace English Program staff, the Moodle has been learner's favorite avenue for "publishing" presentations, assignments, and photo records of course learning.  The Program's Director has been able to utilize Moodle to demonstrate class format and gains for area employers.  This may be a valuable sales tool.